Sharing OneDrive Files and Folders

Overview

Sharing files and folders in Microsoft OneDrive lets you securely collaborate with others. OneDrive files are private until you share them, and you can choose to share using a link or by granting access to specific people.

Click here for more information on sharing files and folders.

 

File Retention

*Important Note*

If you share a file or folder and later leave the college, those shared items will remain accessible to the recipients for six (6) months. After that period, the shared files and folders will be permanently deleted and cannot be recovered. 

Likewise, if a file or folder is shared with you by someone who leaves the college, it will also remain available for six (6) months before being permanently deleted and unrecoverable. 

 

Share File or Folder

  1. Share your file or folder with one of the following methods: 
    1. In your OneDrive, select the file or folder and click Share in the menu bar.
    2. Open the file and click the Share button in the top right corner.
  2. Set the permissions for the recipients. The default permissions are set to “People in Providence College with the link can view” (the eye icon). The permissions are:  
    • Can Edit
    • Can Review
    • Can View
    • Can’t Download
  3. Enter the names or email addresses of the users you want to share with. You can share with faculty, students, or staff.
  4. Type a message if you want.
  5. Click Send.​​​​​​
  6. The recipient(s) will receive an email notification that the file or folder has been shared with them.
  7. Select Copy link if you would like to paste the link to the shared document into a message or email.

 

See Shared Files and Folders

In OneDrive on the web, the Shared view shows files and folders that others have shared with you. After you share a file, it automatically appears under Shared in the navigation.

  1. Sign in to your account on the OneDrive website.
  2. In the left navigation pane, click Shared.
  3. The With you tab shows what others have shared with you. The By you tab shows what you have shared with others.

 

Share Permissions

Can Edit

  • The recipient can view, edit, and delete the file or folder. 
  • They can also share the document with others, allowing collaborators to make edits that are visible to everyone with access. 

Can Review 

  • The recipient can leave comments and suggestions (typically in Word or Excel files). 
  • They can share it with others. 
  • They cannot make direct edits to the content itself. 

Can View 

  • The recipient can only open and read the file. 
  • They can share it with others. 
  • They cannot make any changes or leave comments.

Can’t Download 

  • This is an additional restriction applied to “Can View” links. 
  • The recipient can view the file in the browser but cannot download, print, or copy it. 

 

Link Access Types

When you share a OneDrive file and set the permission to Can view, whether the recipient can share it with others depends on how you shared the link: 

Shared via “People with the link”

  • Anyone who receives the link can view the file. 
  • The recipient can forward the link to others, and those people will also be able to view the file. 
  • This is the least restrictive option. 

Shared via “People in [Your Organization]” 

  • Only people within your organization who receive the link can view the file. 
  • The recipient can share the link with other coworkers, but not with people outside the organization. 

Shared via “Specific people” 

  • Only the people you explicitly specify can access the file. 
  • The recipient cannot share the file with others. If they try, the new person will be denied access unless you add them manually. 

 

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